Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Southern collard greens with smoked turkey look simple: greens, smoked meat, broth and time. The trouble is in the details. The greens stay tough or bitter, the pot turns out too salty, or the wrong cut of turkey leaves you with a thin broth.

I made a big pot of these for my family on New Year’s Eve, and this is how I cook them so none of that happens. You get a clear timeline, a way to tell when the greens are done, salt that stays under control, and a guide to the turkey cuts. The greens come out silky and smoky, with a pot liquor you’ll want to sop up with cornbread.

Collards cooked low and slow with smoked meat are a cornerstone of Southern and soul food cooking, with deep roots in African American kitchens. The cooking liquid, called pot liquor, is part of the dish, so never drain it away. There’s no bacon or ham hock in this pot, because the smoked turkey brings the smoke and savory depth on its own.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

They aren’t bitter. Cutting out the thick rib, cooking to a texture instead of a clock, and finishing with vinegar take care of it.

The salt stays in your hands. Smoked turkey is already salty, so the salt goes in last, after you’ve tasted.

And one pot serves 6 to 8 as a side, and the greens taste even better the next day.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Serves 6 to 8 as a side. You’ll need a pot of at least 8 quarts, because greens take up a lot of room before they wilt.

For the greens and turkey

3 pounds collard greens (about 3 average bunches) – Bunches run from 12 ounces to 1½ pounds, so weigh them if you can. They cook down to about 4 to 5 cups. Bagged greens work too. Rinse them once anyway.

1½ pounds fully cooked smoked turkey (1 large leg or 2 wings) – Check the label for “fully cooked.” My rule is about 1/2 pound of turkey per pound of greens.

For the base

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter – I don’t sear the turkey, since it’s already cooked.

1 large yellow onion, diced – It melts into the broth.

4 garlic cloves, minced – Added after the onion.

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes – Warmth, not real heat.

For the pot liquor

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth – Low-sodium matters, because the turkey carries plenty of salt.

2 cups water – It keeps the pot liquor from getting too concentrated.

1 teaspoon smoked paprika – It backs up the smoke from the turkey.

1/2 teaspoon black pepper – Freshly ground if you have it.

1 teaspoon brown sugar – It rounds off the bitter edge without making the pot sweet.

To finish

1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, plus more for the table – Most of it goes in at the end so it tastes bright.

Salt, to taste – Last, and a pinch at a time.

Hot sauce, for serving – Let everyone add their own.

How to Make It

Start with the grit. Fill a clean sink or a very large bowl with cold water, swish the leaves around, then lift them out and set them aside. Don’t pour the water over the greens, because the sand settles to the bottom and you’d pour it right back on. Rinse the sink and repeat 2 to 3 times, until no sand is left.

Fold each leaf in half and slice out the thick center rib. Stack several leaves, roll them up like a cigar, and slice into ribbons about 1 inch wide. Cut the ribbons in half so the pieces are bite-size.

Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.

Pour in the broth and water, then add the turkey, smoked paprika and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook partly covered for 45 minutes. The turkey should be very tender and the broth smoky. Don’t add salt yet.

Add the collards 3 or 4 handfuls at a time, pushing them down with tongs. Each batch wilts in a minute or two and makes room for the next. Stir in the brown sugar, cover, and simmer gently for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. The liquid should stay near the top of the greens. If it drops, add hot water, 1/2 cup at a time.

At 60 minutes, taste a piece of leaf and a piece from the thickest part. Time is a guide, and texture is the answer. At 30 minutes the greens are chewy and noticeably bitter. At 45 they’re tender with some bite, which suits a firmer style. At 60 they’re silky with no chew in the thick parts, and that’s where I stop. At 90 minutes or more they’re very soft and spoonable, the classic old-school style. If anything is still chewy, give it another 15 minutes.

Lift the turkey out and pull the meat from the bones. Discard the skin, bones and tendons (legs have a lot). Shred the meat and stir it back into the pot.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Taste, then add salt a pinch at a time. Let the pot rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving, and pass the hot sauce at the table.

My “Not Bitter, Not Too Salty” Mini Guide

• Cut out the thick rib. It’s tough and bitter. The thin upper stem pieces are fine chopped small.
• Give them the full hour. Undercooked collards taste the most bitter.
• Add the acid at the end. Cider vinegar, lemon juice or a vinegary hot sauce balances bitterness. Most goes in last so it tastes bright.
• Use sugar by the pinch. One teaspoon rounds the edge. Taste before adding more.
• Salt last. Use low-sodium broth, skip bouillon cubes and seasoned salt, and wait until the greens are tender.
• Fix a salty pot with liquid, not time. Add unsalted water or low-sodium broth, a little more vinegar and a pinch of sugar.

Helpful Tips

A leg has the most meat and strong smoke. Wings give the richest broth and are the best balance of meat and flavor. Necks are lean with a lot of bone but deep flavor, a good budget choice, so use two and expect less meat. Tails have very little meat but add richness to the pot liquor.

To scale down, use half of everything in a 5 to 6 quart pot. To double it, use a 12 quart pot or two pots, and add the pepper, sugar and vinegar in smaller steps, tasting at the end.

Collards hold their shape best. If you add mustard or turnip greens, I’d put them in for the last 20 to 30 minutes, since they cook faster. For a smokier, richer pot, a smoked turkey tail alongside the wing is where I’d start, though I haven’t tried that here.

Keep the pot liquor. Ladle it over the greens, spoon it over rice or butter beans, or use it in place of broth when you cook beans.

Cool the greens quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. They keep 3 to 4 days in an airtight container with plenty of pot liquor. To freeze, portion them with some pot liquor and freeze for up to about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat until steaming hot, at least 165°F, and adjust the vinegar and salt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Cornbread is the classic partner, since it’s what the pot liquor is for. The greens also sit well next to fried chicken, baked mac and cheese, black-eyed peas, rice or barbecue.

Put a bottle of hot sauce and a bottle of vinegar on the table, and everyone can adjust their own bowl.